MHS junior Luciano Gonzalez has won the 2018 Junior Study Abroad Scholarship for his achievement on the National Spanish Exam.
In seventh grade, Luciano Gonzalez made his way from Argentina to the United States. Without knowing a word of English, Gonzalez moved to Moorestown and entered the educational system planning to catch up as he learned the language. Now a junior at Moorestown High School, Gonzalez earned national recognition after winning the 2018 Junior Study Abroad Scholarship for his achievement on the National Spanish Examination.
In July, Gonzalez will travel to Spain along with 23 other winners who will study the Spanish language and culture at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Gonzalez was selected for the program for having ranked in the 97th percentile on the national examination.
When Gonzalez was 3 years old, his mother left for the United States. Raised by his grandparents in Mendoza, Argentina, Gonzalez attended a Catholic private school. He said the schools in Argentina are in stark contrast to those of the United States.
Gonzalez described the education system in his home country as “limited.” In Argentina, an entire grade consisted of 30 students who have one teacher who teaches them every subject. He said students cannot pick their schedule, and there are not accelerated courses such as Advanced Placement or Honors.
Accompanied by his grandparents, Gonzalez was reunited with his mother at the age of 13 when he came to Moorestown. He said he learned all of his English after he arrived, and he was taken aback by the abundance of educational opportunities at his fingertips.
Unlike in Mendoza, in Moorestown Gonzalez can pick his courses. He said he knows he wants to pursue civil engineering, so he began taking courses geared toward math and the sciences. He said he’s appreciative of the opportunities the United States’ educational system is affording him, and he’s eager to learn.
“You could ask anyone. In class, I’m the happiest kid ever because it’s like I wish I had this in Argentina,” Gonzalez said with an enthused smile stretching across his face.
When it came time to pick a language, Gonzalez chose Spanish. He said in his eyes, he could either be somewhat proficient in three languages if he chose a new language to study, or he could be highly proficient in two languages if he continued to study Spanish.
“If I took another language, I’d be trilingual, but I could perfect my Spanish since having a little bit of two things is not as good as being really good at something,” Gonzalez said.
When he came to the United States, he spoke Spanish with an Argentinian accent. He said since studying Spanish in America, he has dropped that accent over time. He said the Argentinian dialect is highly informal, and he’s since learned to speak a more “proper” form of Spanish.
Last year, when Gonzalez sat for the the National Spanish Examination, he scored in the 94th percentile and was pleased with his results. He said when he learned he had scored in the 97th percentile this go-around, he was proud of his accomplishment.
Due to Gonzalez’s high score, his Spanish teacher, Lisa Trapani, recommended he apply for the study abroad scholarship. He said he answered a series of questions and waited patiently to hear back.
Trapani said Gonzalez struck her as student who would benefit from a study abroad experience. She said her Spanish 5 Honors course studies the history of Spain, and on his trip, Gonzalez will visit many of the places he’s learned about in class.
“I think that Luciano will take advantage of every opportunity that he has during this trip because he values the opportunity that his education in the Moorestown school district has afforded him,” Trapani said.
He was working at his part-time job when he saw he had a missed call from a number he didn’t recognize, so he asked permission to step outside and briefly return the call. He said was completely caught off guard in that moment to learn he had been selected for the scholarship, and his family was thrilled by the news.
In July, Gonzalez and his fellow scholarship winners will take Spanish classes in the morning, and in the afternoon, they’ll travel to cathedrals, museums and other places of note to immerse themselves in the Spanish culture. With his strong interest in design, Gonzalez is especially excited to get to see Spanish architecture.
He said his journey has come full circle. Most of South America traces its history back to Spain, so there’s a personal tie as he learns about Spain and how it connects to his native country of Argentina.
